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James Whitcomb Riley - Jim
Work rating: Low

He was jes a plain ever`-day, all-round kind of a jour.,
Consumpted-Iookin`-- but la!
The jokeiest, wittiest, story-tellin`, song-singin`, laughin`est, jolliest
Feller you ever saw!
Worked at jes coarse work, but you kin bet he was fine enough in his talk,
And his feelin`s too!
Lordy! Ef he was on`y back on his bench ag`in to-day, a- carryin` on
Like he ust to do!

Any shopmate`ll tell you there never was, on top o` dirt,
A better feller`n Jim!
You want a favor, and couldn`t git it anywheres else--
You could git it o` him!
Most free-heartedest man thataway in the world, I guess!
Give up ever` nickel he`s worth--
And ef you`d a-wanted it, and named it to him, and it was his,
He`d a-give you the earth!

Allus a reachin` out, Jim was, and a-he`ppin` some
Pore feller onto his feet--
He`d a-never a-keered how hungry he was hisse`f,
So`s the feller got somepin` to eat!
Didn`t make no differ`nce at all to him how he was dressed,
He ust to say to me--,
"You togg out a tramp purty comfortable in winter-time, a huntin` a job,
And he`ll git along!" says he.

Jim didn`t have, ner never could git ahead, so overly much
O` this world`s goods at a time--.
`Fore now I`ve saw him, more`n onc`t, lend a dollar, and haf to, more`n
likely,
Turn round and borry a dime!
Mebby laugh and joke about it hisse`f fer awhile-- then jerk his coat,
And kindo` square his chin,
Tie on his apern, and squat hisse`f on his old shoe-bench,
And go to peggin` ag`in!

Patientest feller too, I reckon, `at ever jes natchurly
Coughed hisse`f to death!
Long enough after his voice was lost he`d laugh in a whisper and say
He could git ever`thing but his breath--
"You fellers," he`d sorto` twinkle his eyes and say,
"Is a-pilin` onto me
A mighty big debt fer that-air little weak-chested ghost o` mine to pack
Through all Eternity!"

Now there was a man `at jes `peared-like, to me,
`At ortn`t a-never a-died!
"But death hain`t a-showin` no favors," the old boss said--
"On`y to Jim!" and cried:
And Wigger, who puts up the best sewed-work in the shop--
Er the whole blame neighborhood--,
He says, "When God made Jim, I bet you He didn`t do anything else that day
But jes set around and feel good!"
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